St. Charles set to name new economic development director

The economic development director for Joliet is set to become St. Charles’ new economic development director.

Derek Conley has been Joliet’s economic development director since April 2018. Prior to that, Conley served as the economic development specialist with Invest Aurora, a public/private economic development partnership, from June 2016 to March 2018.

St. Charles Mayor Lora Vitek and City Administrator Heather McGuire are recommending Conley fill the newly created position. His anticipated starting salary will be $135,000 a year.

The city received 40 applications and interviewed eight candidates for the job. Aldermen are set to approve his appointment at Monday’s City Council meeting.

The $135,000 salary in St. Charles would be a $14,000 raise for Conley, but he described the change as “a geographic move” putting him and his partner closer to her job in Algonquin.

“I’ve enjoyed my time here in Joliet,” Conley said Friday. “I’ve learned a lot and worked on some great projects. This is kind of a geographic move for me.”

Following the retirement of Community and Economic Development Director Rita Tungare last year, Tungare’s position has been split into two – one for community development and the other for economic development.

In November, Russell Colby was promoted to the position of director of community development. Colby began working for the city in August 2007 as city planner.

Colby had been serving as the city’s acting director of community and economic development since August following the retirement of Tungare.